Bill Text: FL S1166 | 2014 | Regular Session | Introduced


Bill Title: Tuition and Fee Exemptions

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)

Status: (Failed) 2014-05-02 - Died in Education [S1166 Detail]

Download: Florida-2014-S1166-Introduced.html
       Florida Senate - 2014                                    SB 1166
       
       
        
       By Senator Detert
       
       
       
       
       
       28-01330-14                                           20141166__
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to tuition and fee exemptions;
    3         amending s. 1009.25, F.S.; exempting certain students
    4         who were adopted from the Department of Children and
    5         Families or who are or were in the custody of the
    6         department under certain circumstances from paying
    7         tuition and fees at workforce education programs,
    8         Florida College System institutions, and state
    9         universities; requiring Florida College System
   10         institutions and state universities to adopt certain
   11         rules regarding the exemptions; providing an effective
   12         date.
   13          
   14  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   15  
   16         Section 1. Section 1009.25, Florida Statutes, is amended to
   17  read:
   18         1009.25 Fee exemptions.—
   19         (1) The following students are exempt from the payment of
   20  tuition and fees, including lab fees, at a school district that
   21  provides workforce education programs, Florida College System
   22  institution, or state university:
   23         (a) A student enrolled in a dual enrollment or early
   24  admission program pursuant to s. 1007.271.
   25         (b) A student enrolled in an approved apprenticeship
   26  program, as defined in s. 446.021.
   27         (c) A student who is or was at the time he or she reached
   28  18 years of age in the custody of the Department of Children and
   29  Families Family Services or who, after spending at least 6
   30  months in the custody of the department after reaching 16 years
   31  of age, was placed in a guardianship by the court. Such
   32  exemption includes fees associated with enrollment in applied
   33  academics for adult education instruction. The exemption remains
   34  valid until the student reaches 28 years of age.
   35         (d) A student who is or was at the time he or she reached
   36  18 years of age in the custody of a relative under s. 39.5085 or
   37  who was adopted from the Department of Children and Family
   38  Services after May 5, 1997. The Such exemption includes fees
   39  associated with enrollment in applied academics for adult
   40  education instruction. The exemption remains valid until the
   41  student reaches 28 years of age.
   42         (e) A student who was adopted from the Department of
   43  Children and Families and has not reached 28 years of age. The
   44  exemption includes fees associated with enrollment in applied
   45  academics for adult education instruction.
   46         (f) A student who is or was at the time he or she reached
   47  18 years of age in the custody of the Department of Children and
   48  Families and who:
   49         1. Is or was placed with a nonrelative pursuant to s.
   50  39.402. The exemption remains valid until the student reaches 28
   51  years of age.
   52         2. Is or was placed with a relative who is not or was not a
   53  participant in the Relative Caregiver Program under s. 39.5085.
   54  The exemption remains valid until the student reaches 28 years
   55  of age.
   56         (g)(e) A student enrolled in an employment and training
   57  program under the welfare transition program. The regional
   58  workforce board shall pay the state university, Florida College
   59  System institution, or school district for costs incurred for
   60  welfare transition program participants.
   61         (h)(f) A student who lacks a fixed, regular, and adequate
   62  nighttime residence or whose primary nighttime residence is a
   63  public or private shelter designed to provide temporary
   64  residence for individuals intended to be institutionalized, or a
   65  public or private place not designed for, or ordinarily used as,
   66  a regular sleeping accommodation for human beings.
   67         (i)(g) A student who is a proprietor, owner, or worker of a
   68  company whose business has been at least 50 percent negatively
   69  financially impacted by the buyout of property around Lake
   70  Apopka by the State of Florida. Such student may receive a fee
   71  exemption only if the student has not received compensation
   72  because of the buyout, the student is designated a Florida
   73  resident for tuition purposes, pursuant to s. 1009.21, and the
   74  student has applied for and been denied financial aid, pursuant
   75  to s. 1009.40, which would have provided, at a minimum, payment
   76  of all student fees. The student is responsible for providing
   77  evidence to the postsecondary education institution verifying
   78  that the conditions of this paragraph have been met, including
   79  supporting documentation provided by the Department of Revenue.
   80  The student must be currently enrolled in, or begin coursework
   81  within, a program area by fall semester 2000. The exemption is
   82  valid for a period of 4 years after the date that the
   83  postsecondary education institution confirms that the conditions
   84  of this paragraph have been met.
   85         (2) Each Florida College System institution may is
   86  authorized to grant student fee exemptions from all fees adopted
   87  by the State Board of Education and the Florida College System
   88  institution board of trustees for up to 54 full-time equivalent
   89  students or 1 percent of the institution’s total full-time
   90  equivalent enrollment, whichever is greater, at each
   91  institution.
   92         (3) Each Florida College System institution and state
   93  university shall adopt rules and regulations, respectively, to
   94  administer this section. Such rules must:
   95         (a) Prohibit a restriction on the number of credit hours
   96  which a student who is exempt from paying tuition and fees may
   97  earn.
   98         (b) Specify that a student who is exempt from paying
   99  tuition and fees may enroll in remedial courses and college
  100  preparatory courses if necessary.
  101         (c) Eliminate the limitations on the type of courses in
  102  which a student who is exempt from paying tuition and fees may
  103  enroll.
  104         (d) Eliminate the number of times a student who is exempt
  105  from paying tuition and fees may enroll in a course.
  106         (e) Require the Department of Education, each Florida
  107  College System institution, and each state university to include
  108  on their websites information about the tuition and fees
  109  exemption under this section.
  110         (f) Require financial aid officers at Florida College
  111  System institutions and state universities to contact each
  112  student who indicates on a financial aid form that the student
  113  may be eligible for the tuition and fees exemption under this
  114  section and to provide advice and information regarding the
  115  exemption.
  116         Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2014.

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